Summer time means the kids are off from school and it is time for family vacations. So often a family vacation means a car trip. Car trips and restless children who are low on patience have resulted in the infamously coined question: “Are we there yet?” With a little planning ahead for fun games to play in the car, you can be sure your kids will never udder that dreaded question. Plan ahead so that your kids will have plenty to do during the trip including educational activities, fun games, and time passing crafts. Our recipe for fun in the car will definitely help with family bonding time without anyone stuck staring at an electronic device with headphones on.

Educational Activities

Now do not worry when we label this category as “educational”. When your kids hear about these activities, they won’t be trying to jump out the window; they won’t really even know that these are educational because they will help pass the time.

• Map out your trip and make a little car that you can place on the map to indicate where you are along your journey. This was they will see how far you have traveled and how far you have to go. This is also one of the main reasons they will never ask how much longer – they will always be able to see it at a glance. Do not forget to map out the way home too!
• Divide your journey into even segments on the map and everyone gets a reward each time you reach each mark, or complete that section of your journey. If behavior is an issue, you can let them know that they get a surprise at each mark along the way as long as they behave during that section of the trip. The surprises can be small gifts, information about your trip details, or a special treat.
• Make a list of the places you pass by during your drive along with fun facts about them. Make passing each place an event. Talk about the place and cross it off your list. The way home can have a quiz about the places you learned about with prizes for those who remember the details, or take a different route on the way home and learn about new places you pass by.

Fun Games to Play

Everyone probably knows some car games from when they were young, so this is the time to bring back those memories and play fun things like I Spy, Car Bingo, age appropriate Trivia, name that song, or some fun travel size board games.

Car Crafts

Searching online or on Pinterest for fun crafts for kids will give you a ton of ideas. Some of our favorite ideas are adding magnets to some of your children’s favorite crayons or markers and giving each of them a metal clip board so that the magnetized things stick to the board instead of falling and sliding all over the car. This can also be done with puzzle pieces, note pads, and other favorite car pastime items. Encourage your children to make their own notes and pictures of their vacation so that you can add them to your family vacation scrap book.